After two days of relatively boring action in the NCAA Tournament, a top-four seed has fallen. Arkansas upset St. John’s on Saturday to become the first double-digit seed to make the Sweet Sixteen. The game was ugly, filled with fouls and missed shots. However, Arkansas pulled through and pulled off the upset. So, what’s next for each team? Can Arkansas continue its dream run? Is there a way for them to make the Elite Eight or possibly the Final Four? Can Rick Pitino do what’s necessary to bring this squad back to this spot next year and win? What is Pitino’s number one priority moving forward?
What’s Next for Arkansas and St. John’s After Upset
St. John’s has Hope, but Clear Holes
St. John’s fell well short of expectations. Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis is a junior and could return if he chooses. Zuby Ejiofor is also a junior. Simeon Wilcher is only a sophomore. They can bring back a lot of talent that has tournament experience for next year. They will lose important players though. The main priority for Rick Pitino is recruiting offensive talent, both shooting and consistent playmaking. St. John’s desperately needed a three late against Arkansas, but they failed to find them. As a team, they shot 2-21 from beyond the arc. An elite three-point shooter would have opened the game up for the Red Storm. If Pitino wants to win a national championship, he needs to upgrade St. John’s shooting.
Luis couldn’t hit a shot for the life of him as St. John’s shot less than 30% from the floor. There was nothing they could do right. Whether it was mental toughness or just an off day, this St. John’s team needs to learn many lessons from this game against Arkansas. After such a successful season, nothing short of a national championship would suffice for Pitino. However, in St. John’s upset loss to Arkansas, this team showed there are major holes that need to be filled before those dreams become a reality.
Could Arkansas Advance Further?
Arkansas upset St. John’s because of the Red Storm’s abysmal shooting. However, leading-scorer Adou Thiero could be back next week for Arkansas and Boogie Fland is back from injury. They played some good offense against St. John’s elite defense. Arkansas would likely be favored against Drake in a huge contrast of styles. Arkansas wants to run, while Drake wants to play as slow as a snail. Drake’s offense requires patience on defense, but Calipari can coach any team to face that.
Texas Tech would be a tough game. The first team to 80 points likely wins with those fast-paced offenses. However, Arkansas will need to be better on defense to stop Texas Tech’s elite fifth-ranked offense. While St. John’s looked to be stifled, they had a plethora of opportunities to score with easy shots that they didn’t convert. Arkansas’ defense can’t be a liability with their streaky offense. They need to avoid foul trouble as well, as Calipari has shortened his bench considerably.
The Last Word
For St. John’s, the upset to Arkansas proves their biggest flaws were valid. The offense didn’t show up when it mattered most, and yet they still only lost in the last couple of minutes. They had the defense and talent for a deep run, but Pitino will have to find the answers soon to ensure they can get into true championship contention next season.
Calipari has to be proud of his squad following early struggles and the injury to Fland. However, they will need to play better to win. They found ways to win games against teams that didn’t play their best basketball. Arkansas has the talent to make a Final Four run, but they have to clean up their play. They’re young and inexperienced as a whole, so hopefully veterans like Johnell Davis can provide some confidence as Arkansas moves on to the Sweet Sixteen.
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